Protein is all it takes to build muscles. It’s also what the body needs to repair worn out tissues. The real gist is protein is a sermon all bodybuilders know about. However, what is not known is the fact that protein does more than build muscles or help the body to repair torn muscles – it does far more than that.
The focus here is on glutamine or L-glutamine, which is a subcomponent of amino acid, a derivative of protein. Thus, this article takes into consideration everything it does to the body. This article also employs a bit by bit strategy in addressing the discourse. What this means is that it goes from the top (protein) to the bottom (l-glutamine) for easy comprehension. Enjoy the read!
What’s more with proteins?
From basis, we all know that proteins are good for the body. It’s one class of food that is essential for the proper and optimal functioning of the body – no wonder it’s even been taught to kids in elementary schools.
It can be found in all of your body cells which use it as building blocks to help skin regeneration, hair growth, and hormonal production for cartilage and tissue repairs.
One of the derivatives of proteins, when it is used up by the body, is the amino acid. What is the amino acid and what does it do too in the body?
Amino acids: what are they?
A very quick one – if proteins are viewed as the building blocks of our body tissue, amino acids are the building blocks of protein. It’s the building block of life. If you’ve noticed that we sometimes say ‘proteins’, it’s because your body uses about 50,000 different proteins, depending on their purpose.
Each protein is the result of a combination of 20 different amino acids.
Every amino acid falls into one of three classifications; first, essential amino acids which amino acids that the body does not produce, so it’s ‘essential’ that we get them from the foods we eat; the second is the non-essential amino acids which are also as important as the essential amino acids and are also produced by the body when proteins have been broken down; the last is the conditional amino acids, whose production in the body can be interrupted by illness, injury or stress, which means that they are occasionally essential.
L-glutamine: the most abundant amino acid
Out of all the 20 amino acids, L-glutamine is the only one that the body uses more than any other. The implication of this is that l-glutamine is more beneficial to the body.
It is most times referred to as glutamine – without the L and it makes up about 30% of the amino acid nitrogen in the blood. It is known as a conditional amino acid because the body uses so much L-glutamine, it needs to supplement its production with L-glutamine from your diet.
More than most amino acids, L-glutamine helps to promote weight loss, fat burning, and muscle building. But, as more and more research is conducted into the effect of amino acids on our bodies, particularly L-glutamine, we’re always learning more about L-glutamine’s benefits. Here are just a few:
Improves Energy & Athletic Performance
If you feel drained following exercise, it could be because your body isn’t producing enough glutamine and you need to supplement that production. One hour of exercise can cause a 40% reduction in glutamine levels in your body.
Helps Heal Leaky Gut
As unfortunate as that name sounds, leaky gut means exactly that, the permeability of the walls of the intestine. In a study published in the Lancet, glutamine was shown to ‘prevent deterioration of gut permeability and preserve the mucosal structure.”
That ability to strengthen intestinal walls also makes glutamine effective in healing intestinal ulcers and promoting better digestion.
Burns Fat & Boosts Metabolism
While many people link a higher metabolic rate with fat burning, there is not necessarily a direct connection between the two. Glutamine burns fat by promoting the secretion of human growth hormone (HGH). The new muscle growth that results is fueled in part by the fat stores in the body.
When using a glutamine supplement, HGH levels can increase over 300%, a response that leads to an increase in resting metabolic rate.
Promotes Weight Loss
In addition to the fat burn from increased HGH production and metabolic rates, studies have linked glutamine with the loss of fat in overweight people. One study concluded that the use of glutamine supplements leads to an increase in lean body tissue and a decrease in the circumference of the abdomen. L-glutamine is also known to help control appetite.
